Defect Priority v/s Severity - What is the difference?

The difference between defect priority and severity is one of the most common software testing interview questions asked and I often found people confused or not able to explain the difference or importance of these two attributes.

These are the two of the most important attribute of a defect in the software and hence it is of great importance to understand them correctly. Providing these two attribute in the defect help to prioritize and assess the impact and risk it has on the software and users.

Software Testing

Difference between Defect Priority and Defect Severity

Let's try to understand the difference by looking at the combinations we can have from the values of these two attributes of the defect. Let's give them value either as 'High' or 'Low'

Then any defect can be classified in these possible combinations -

1. Low Priority-Low severity

2. High Priority-Low severity

3. Low Priority-High severity

4. High Priority-High severity